Loathing
by Theoretical-Optimist
Summary: Rose Granger-Weasley was determined to dislike Scorpius Malfoy from the day they met. But just like people, feelings grow and change over time. Inspired by Wicked. Written for Round 3 of The Houses Competition (year two).


House: Gryffindor

Position: HoH

Category: Short

Prompt: "From the moment I met you, I knew I would spend the rest of my life avoiding you."

Word Count (excluding header and AN) - 1121

Beta: Tigger

-AN The letters are meant to be read in alternating fashion reminiscent of 'Loathing' from the musical Wicked.

* * *

Rose searched the corridors and compartments of The Hogwarts Express for her favorite cousin. Albus had disappeared shortly into their first journey to Scotland when James's teasing reached annoying levels. One half hour later, Rose's temples were beginning to pound from his incessant gabbering and she left to seek out Albus.

Towards the end of the last train car, she finally picked up his voice. Albus was sitting with another boy. They were smiling, laughing, and sharing a mountain of treats from the trolley witch's cart. Rose felt a pang of jealousy pass through her; she was on the outside, looking in.

She threw the compartment door open.

"Oh hi, Rose!" greeted Albus. "This is—"

She cut him off. "I'm Rose Granger-Weasley. And you are?" She thrust out her hand to shake.

The other boy nervously mumbled something incoherent.

"Pardon?" Rose asked, annoyed by his lack of diction.

"Um—I'm Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy."

Rose withdrew her hand. So this was the boy that her father had warned her about on the platform? The one who she was supposed to beat on every test? The one whom Grandpa Weasley would never forgive her for if she married? As if!

"You should join us, Rose!" Albus said. "Scorp and I were having a Bertie Botts contest to see who would get the nastiest..."

She tuned him out. This boy was 'Scorp' now? How had he managed to get her typically reserved cousin to act so animated in a mere thirty minutes when Rose had barely managed to do so in eleven years? Rose's Weasley temper quickly converted her jealousy to mild rage.

"No. No, thank you." She'd rather walk to Hogwarts than sit beside Albus and his new friend. "I'll see you at school, Albus." She smiled at him. "Malfoy." She turned her nose up and let the compartment door slam behind her.

* * *

 _Dearest Mum and Dad,_

 _ **My Dear Mother and Father,**_

 _There's been some confusion with housing here at Hogwarts. For you see Albus is_

 _ **The sorting ceremony went as expected. I hope I'll make you proud. I made a friend on the way to school. His name is Albus Potter. I hope you aren't ashamed that I would befriend a Potter. Anyway, we were sorted into the same house. We're both in**_

 _Slytherin._

* * *

The first four years of Rose's Hogwarts career went very smoothly. She happily earned her position as top of the class and resisted the urge to gloat about her success. She made Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team in her second year and was the school's top scorer by third year. Aunt Ginny was so proud.

Albus's first four years at Hogwarts were decidedly less successful. He earned himself the reputation as 'The Slytherin Squib' early on and it haunted him. Rose, of course, new that her cousin was no Squib; he was simply failing to apply himself. Rose knew just what, or rather who, was to blame for Albus's struggles. But her stubborn cousin refused to give Malfoy up!

But everything changed after the time turner incident. Even Rose could no longer deny that maybe, just maybe, Malfoy and her favorite cousin made a formidable team. Rose watched as Albus's relationship with Uncle Harry repaired and Albus emerged as a more confident wizard. Rose was happy to have him back as her friend.

And then there was Malfoy.

* * *

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _ **Father,**_

 _I'm enjoying my N.E.W.T. level Potions class. We brewed The Draught of Living Death today. It's a shame that Albus dropped potions this year—the prize was a vial of Felix Felicis. You know he needs all the luck he can get after those close scrapes during his internship with Uncle Charlie at the dragon reserve last summer!_

 _ **My classes are going well so far this term. I know you wished for me to continue on with History of Magic, but Professor Binns is so dreadfully boring. I'm much happier with my selection of N.E.W.T. level classes. The professors are trying something new this year. Instead of having a different partner in every class, we are assigned to one partner who shares the same schedule. I'm working with**_

 _Can you believe it? He's actually really good at Potions. It's like he's got a natural affinity for it that I never knew before. And he's damn smart in other classes as well. I'm lucky he's my partner this year or else it would make coming out on top a real challenge. It's taking us sometime to get used to one another, but I told him that since we were going to be working together all term, he might as well stop calling me "Weasley" all the time._

 _ **Dad- she finally called me by my name today. I've never heard something as satisfying as "Scorpius" coming from Rose Granger-Weasley's lips.**_

* * *

Rose wasn't sure exactly when her feelings for Scorpius turned from unadulterated loathing to something less antagonistic. She couldn't recall precisely when their civil conversations had turned into in-depth conversations on everything from favorite Honeydukes treats, to philosophy, to untold hopes and dreams. But she knew for certain that she had fallen hopelessly and irrevocably in love with the boy she had met on the train all those years ago.

* * *

Rose Granger-Weasley stared up into Scorpius's handsome, smiling face. Her eyes welled up with happy tears that threatened to spill forth with the joy she could barely contain.

"From the moment I met you, I knew I would spend the rest of my life avoiding you. How could I not? We were born to be enemies," she remembered. "But I'm happy to say that I was wrong." The onlooking crowd muffled their laughs. "Yes, I, Rose Minerva Granger-Weasley, am admitting I was wrong about something. Don't expect that to happen very often."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Scorpius said with a chuckle.

"It's taken us a long time to get to this point. But I'm happy to be standing here in front of you, pledging you my endless love from this day until my last. I love you, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

"Please take each other's hands," requested the delegate assigned to perform the ceremony. Ordinarily, Hermione would have that honor as Minister of Magic, but she was a pile of emotional goo today.

Rose slid her hands into Scorpius's firm grasp. The delegate waved his wand over their joined hands, weaving an intricate pattern of golden light onto their skin. Rose watched as the rings that she and Scorpius had carefully chosen appeared on their left hands.

"It is my honor and privilege to pronounce you husband and wife," the delegate said as the golden light faded away. "You may kiss the bride."


End file.
